The image is strong: Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi, Jean-Dominique Senard, president of the Renault Group, Makoto Uchida, CEO of Nissan and Luca De Meo, CEO of the Renault Group, met this Wednesday in Boulogne-Billancourt during an “Alliance Council”.
All smiling, the four leaders did not make any sensational announcements, but they did their best to demonstrate that the Alliance still exists.
If the organization created in 1999 during the acquisition of Nissan by Renault disappeared this autumn, with the rebalancing of the Frenchman’s participation in his Japanese partner, the four managers are now focusing on specific projects.
Investments in electric cars and circular economy
Although they did not make any revolutionary announcement this Wednesday, Nissan and Mitsubishi have once again confirmed their desire to invest in Ampere, the entity dedicated to Renault’s electric cars. Nissan will contribute 600 million euros to the agreement and Mitsubishi 200 million.
Ampère will also develop a compact Nissan electric vehicle in Europe that will replace the small Micra. This subsidiary will also design and manufacture a Mitsubishi electric model. The new electric Nissan Juke and Leaf will in particular be based on the CMF-EV platform, jointly developed by Renault and Nissan for their electric vehicles.
Nissan has also announced that it is considering participating in another Renault activity. Its name: “The future is neutral.” This division is dedicated to the circular economy. With a turnover target of more than 2.3 billion euros planned for 2030, this entity must work in particular on the recyclability of vehicle materials and the use of recycled materials in vehicles, with its pilot headquarters at the Flins (Yvelines).
Nissan, client of the Renault subsidiary in thermal engines
Nissan will also be a customer of Horse, Renault’s entity dedicated to hybrid and thermal engines, and will receive “six families of gearboxes and engines” and about 500,000 parts per year. Horse will also supply “several industrial customers,” including Mitsubishi Motors, according to the press release published by the three companies.
The 21st century version of the Alliance is therefore materialized in a more flexible structure, without a common entity. But relations are now much calmer.
Source: BFM TV
